


Drift Away

by mm8



Category: Pacific Rim (2013), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Pacific Rim Fusion, Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Apocalypse, Drift Bond, Drift Side Effects, Jaeger Pilots, M/M, Post-Apocalypse, Post-Drift, Present Tense, Slice of Life, Smoking, The Drift (Pacific Rim), Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-16
Updated: 2014-07-16
Packaged: 2018-02-07 09:33:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1894089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mm8/pseuds/mm8
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Now that the apocalypse is cancelled, what do they do?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Drift Away

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hiddencait](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hiddencait/gifts).



> hiddencait, I knew I was going to write a Hobbit fic when I got your assignment. Once I saw your letter and read _post-apocalypse fic, slice of life/domestic fic (if you can manage both post-apocalyptic AND domestic I will bow to your greatness lol)_ , I thought CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. As I read on I saw that you asked for Pacific Rim and you also stated that you enjoyed _AUs (particularly coffee shop, Black Jewels trilogy, daemons, steampunk/neo-Victorian, and **Pacific Rim fusions** )_. CHALLENGE DOUBLY ACCEPTED. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this.
> 
> I tried to lay in the ground work for a possible prequel or a sequel. We'll see. 
> 
> And as you might have noticed the title was inspired by the song Drift Away by Dobie Gray.
> 
> I did not have a beta-reader for this fic. If you want to beta-read it please comment to let me know. Alternatively, if you see mistakes, please let me know so I may correct them.

**.i**

The sound of crowd is deafening when they return to the Shatterdome. Bilbo thinks his eardrums will burst any second. He's not sure who, but he had a feeling that it might have been Bofur who hoisted him into the air for the whole base to see. His face is flushed. It must be the most embarrassing shade of red. There's a sea of people cheering for _them_. He can't possibly count the number, even though in the back of his mind he knows how many people live in the Shatterdome and what their names are. Bilbo had made it his business to know. But now in the moment, it seems like all of Hong Kong has showed up. 

He knows that he should be riding on the high of saving the world, but right now all he can think about is that every second that passes by the drift between them fades a little more. And it hurts that Thorin feels the same.

**.ii**

They lay in Thorin's bunk, curled up impossibly close. His fingers are tangled in his partner's black hair as he drapes Thorin's locks over them like a curtain. Everyone else may be celebrating, but they want to block out the rest of the world. 

Bilbo tries to hold on to the threads of the drift. It's like grains of sand through an hourglass. Each time a single grain passes into the other chamber, it's more painful. He feels like he is losing the only person who mattered, who understood him. Bilbo knows it doesn't make sense. Thorin is right here and they are closer than they have ever been before. 

It only took the world almost ending and Thorin almost dying for them to come clean about their feelings. God, that kiss over the raft had been maginifict. Apparently, some of the pilots had snapped pictures of them making out and posted them all over the internet. The hashtags #Bagginshield and #GayWin were trending on Twitter worldwide. It didn't matter. 

He feels Thorin's scratchy beard caresses his neck, his breath hot against his ear. "I love you," Thorin whispers. 

Bilbo feels a wave of happiness from his partner. He sees how Thorin saw him the first time they met that rainy day. Bilbo blushes. He hadn't realized that Thorin had been eyeing him back then! Bilbo moans as he looks into some of Thorin's fantasies. The ones about Bilbo. My, Thorin has been busy. They'll have so much time now to explore each other.

In one swift movement, they shared the same thought. Bilbo lets Thorin guide his smaller hand to the outline of his clothed erection. The jaeger pilot moans. He'd imagined about Thorin's member. What it might look like. He always pictured a cut cock, fat and veiny. How the bulbous head would stretch around his mouth. Bilbo rubs the entire length and squeezes, causing his partner to groan. 

"Make love to me?" he asks. 

Thorin chuckles against his neck. "Like you had to ask."

**.iii**

He's sitting on one of the many beams that make up the Shatterdome, his legs swinging gently into oblivion, and smoking for the first in what seems like forever. He hasn't had a decent smoke since before all this began. He always felt he had to be in a hurry to get down to the end—just in case there was an attack and it was his last. But now that everything is finished. Well, he can sit and relax. 

"Hey."

Bilbo turns his gaze to see Bofur doing a tightrope walk on the beam. He's still wearing that ridiculous hat of his, and has a bright smile plastered on his face. He wouldn't be Bofur otherwise.

" _Mahal_ , it's high up here. Can I bum one off you? I left my pack in the lab."

Without saying a word, Bilbo packs his cigarettes, and hands his friend a random one, along with his ancient lightener. 

"Ta," Bofur says before inhaling. "Why are you up here? You and Thorin have a fight?"

The pilot points off to the sea in the distance. "They're going to bring up Ered Luin and Double Arrow. Figured it might be the last time I see a jaeger, you know?" 

"Oh I don't imagine that. There's always museums,"Bofur teases.

Bilbo laughs and hit his friend playfully. "That's not what I meant."

"Oh, aye I know. Looks like you aren't the only one with sentiment."

Bilbo looks down for the first time, and to his surprise he sees the two other jaegar teams waiting as well. Dwalin stands stoic with his arms around Ori's waist, his face nuzzling the younger man's neck. Kili and Tauriel really should have been in the medi-bay after the injuries they took from the bomb blast. But there they are in identical wheelchairs parked near the ledge of the hanger. Thorin and Fili are close by talking amongst themselves. 

The jaeger pilot gasps as Thorin turns, his piercing gaze aimed right at him. From what's left of the drift, he knows that Thorin is also in pain from losing Erebor Shire. He watches as this partner leans over and says something to his oldest nephew, who nods and then jogs off to the nearest stair well. Bilbo can't help but blush. 

"Ah, looks like the party's over. I better get going. Don't want to be a third wheel." Bofur stands up shakily and begins to head back. 

"Oi, Bofur, why'd you come up here anyway?"

"Oh didn't I ask you?" Bofur smacks himself on the forehead. "I'm taking a survey, if you will. Just for my own amusement, nothing official. What do you plan to do now that all of this is done with?"

"I've always wanted to be a writer," Bilbo replies without censorship. "Maybe I'll write about all this. First hand perspective. Call it… There and Back Again."

Bofur nods and comments with his teeth clenched around his cigarette, "Catchy title." He blows a ring of smoke. "I'm not sure what I’ll do. Last few years have been devoted to the Kaiju… I might go back home to my brothers. They make their own toys. Business was kind of shitty for the last, oh, ten years or so, but I think it's about to pick up again. Don't think a scientist with an affinity with Kaiju will be any good now." He grins, tugging on one of his braids as a nervous habit. "And it looks like that's my cue to exit."

Bilbo is about to protest when he catches sight of Thorin waiting to climb onto the beam. He waves the scientist goodbye and momentarily directs his attention back below to the other pilots. Kili and Tauriel have rearranged themselves so Kili's head is resting in her lap. From his position on the beam, he can't tell if she was soothing him or if he is sleeping.

"They can't feel the drift anymore."

Bilbo jumps, his cigarette fumbling from his grasp for a brief moment. "Wh-what?"

"The blast messed something up. Ripped them apart too early. It's not like with us or with Dwalin or Ori and there's still some of the drift left until it fades. There's… nothing. One moment it was completely there and now it is gone for good."

Bilbo takes a long drag from his cigarette. "Fuck." It's hard enough being fully part Thorin, so completely and feeling that inch away without any say. But fuck. He grasps hold of Thorin's thigh. Through their bond, he can recall the harsh memories of his partner losing Frerin… too young and too bold. The blood… the pain… The sheer look of surprise on Frerin's face…

Bilbo changes the subject for both of their sakes. "I'm surprised that the press aren't here to see this." 

"Not in the Shatterdome, Gandalf made sure of that. But about 50 miles out there's some helicopters trying to get a peek of the action."

"Gandalf, huh?" Bilbo smiles fondly. "The man sure is a wizard, isn't he?" He remembers the first birthday he celebrated at the Shatterdome when he was just a young boy. Gandalf had performed a fireworks show to put the Hong Kong New Years display to shame.

Thorin laughs. "Feel like you would know better than I would. Maybe one day I'll see those fireworks." The pilot snatches the cigarette between Bilbo's fingers and sucks. "He asked her to marry him," Thorin's voice is thick as he adjusts his sitting position to be more comfortable.

"What?" He feels so stupid. How had he not known that? If they were back in Erebor Shire he would have known. Is the rift between them stronger than he previously thought? "When did this happen? And you could have _asked_ me if you wanted some." Bilbo goes through his packing ritual and lights another cigarette. 

"It's more fun to watch you squirm." The right side of Thorin's mouth curls upward. "He asked her this morning before Fili and I helped them out to the hanger. He said," he chuckles in disbelief. "He said he wanted to ask her yesterday before the mission but decided to wait."

"Good thing he didn't. She would have decked him."

"I wish she had," Thorin admits. There's nothing left of the cigarette and he stubs the butt end. "Fuck, I mean he's just eighteen. He's just a kid-- he doesn't know anything of the world. They barely know each other. They've been a team for less than a year. He's eighteen and she's twenty-five."

Bilbo's eyebrows rise. He has never acquired anyone about their ages. He knows he's three years younger than Thorin. From their drift bond he is aware of Fili and Kili's birthdays, and even the moment when each of them were born. He thinks he recalls that Dwalin is a few months younger than Thorin, but his partner can never get the exact day right. It's either the 13th or the 14th. Previously, he thought the three year age gap between him and Thorin as a little difficult. But seven years? "That's quite a gap, yeah."

"What can I do? It's not like I can tell him he can't marry her because they aren't right for each other."

Bilbo laughs, smoke coming out of his nose and mouth. "If you said that Tauriel would punch _you_."

"I just…" Thorin turns over Bilbo's hand and traces the lines of his palm. "What am I supposed to do? What would my sister say?"

"I think you just have to let him go. Let Kili grow up and make his own mistakes." Bilbo thinks hard to send certain thoughts to Thorin through the bond. He recalls his serious relationship with Togo Bunce. Gandalf had told him time and again that nothing would come out from being with Togo. And he was right. He remembers feeling like a third wheel in their relationship, how Togo wanted to keep their relationship from the public eye. They couldn't hold hands or even be alone. Whenever they fought, Togo made Bilbo out to be the bad guy, and they would make up because Bilbo fell for his passionate 'I love yous' and 'You're the only ones'. In the end, he finally found out that Togo was using him to cheat on his wife that lived in Staddle borough of Bree-land. Lesson learned. 

"I don't think it will be like that for Kili though," Bilbo squeezes Thorin's large hand. He takes the last drag of his own cigarette before putting it out. "What?" 

Thorin is staring intently at him. When he gets this way, people who aren't close to the jaeger pilot get frightened by his seemingly angry glare. Thorin leans forward, pulling their hands to his chest.

"I want to ask this before I lose my nerve." He takes a deep breath.

Suddenly, through their bond Bilbo sees what Thorin is imagining. He doesn't recognize the place. It's a roomy flat, however decorated with the bare minimum. Two floors with a large kitchen with plenty of counter space, a master bedroom with a walk-in closet, and even a balcony overlooking… London. It was London. In the distance he can see London's wall of life, notable because it had caused such a fuss when it was built right in front of the Thames. 

Thorin's thoughts change. Now the empty flat is filled with life. Kili has his arm around Tauriel on the sofa, and _wow_ , Tauriel looks very pregnant. Fili's in the corner, drink in hand, chatting up a young blond haired woman. Gandalf's laughing loudly, responding to a joke a woman who looks an awful like Thorin just told. Bilbo wanders through the flat. Before it was bare and sad. Now the walls have been painted yellow and the door has a fresh coat of green. The walls are covered with pictures of family and friends, news articles of them as a jaeger team, and even some local ones of Bilbo's writing achievements. In the corner he notices his, yes _his_ laptop. It's open to a document. The blinking curser seems to scream at him. But what he notices are the words beside the curser:

> There and Back Again by Bilbo Baggins  
>  Copyright 2024  
>  For Bungo and Belladonna Baggins, I miss you every day.

Thorin appears beside him in the bond. "So? What do you think? Will you move in with me?"

Bilbo pulls out of the drift bond with a huge gasp. His eyes are wide and unblinking. He drags Thorin's face down into a heated kiss. 

Of course, both of them miss the moment Double Arrow and Ered Luin are lifted from the ocean.

**.iv**

The second it happens, Bilbo jerks out of his peaceful slumber, choking and gasping for air. He turns and to his shock, sees that Thorin is in the same position. 

The bond is gone. 

He supposes he should feel lucky. The doctors said it was unheard of for a drift bond to last as long as they have outside of the jaeger suits. Dwalin and Ori's faded away a little over a week ago. 

Thorin roughly manhandles Bilbo so the smaller man is on top. He licks and bites at his lips. "I need you. Now. _Fuck_." He groans as he lines up his cock with Bilbo's entrance and plunges in.

Their lovemaking is fast and rough, but they both need it desperately. Anything to keep them connected is better than nothing at all.

**.v**

Of course Kili and Tauriel want to get married in a hurry. It's just how they are. They schedule it for a month and a half after day zero. Everyone is in a chaotic state trying to organize their lives, let alone a wedding.

After the day Ered Luin and Double Arrow were brought to the surface, Bilbo hadn't seen or heard anything from Bofur. He hopes he's happy. After all, he might not have been a pilot but Bofur was really the one able to bring an end to this war. Dwalin and Ori make the move to Berkshire where Ori and his family live so Dwalin could gain approval. Gandalf, after finalizing what he needs to at the Shatterdome, tells Bilbo, "I think I am going to travel for a bit, my boy". 

Bilbo moves to London with Thorin, his nephews and Tauriel. He has never been outside of Hong Kong before and he is completely memorized and in love. To his embarrassment he constantly gets lost, which is unhelpful when he is running around the city helping to look at venues, taste cakes and look at suits. 

Bilbo isn't sure what to do about Thorin. He thought going to London would be another journey in their relationship. Well, it has been, but not the one he planned on it being. 

All they do is fight. About anything and everything it seems. From how Bilbo hasn't written a single word of his book yet to how Thorin is ruining Kili's wedding with his constant arguing with Tauriel's guardian. It isn't Tauriel or Kili's fault that Thranduil screwed his family over royally financially. Those two were just kids when it happened and couldn't Thorin and Thranduil set aside their shit for one day? And maybe Bilbo isn't ready to write his novel, thank you very much! There's a lot of research to do on the jaeger pilot program and the Kaiju that is necessary.

Bilbo wonders if the bond was all they ever had. 

**.vi**

Everyone in the room jumps when Bilbo storms in slamming the door shut. He lets out an irritated noise, throwing up his arms. "Aargh! That man!"

"Fighting with uncle again?" Fili asks casually. Like everyone else, he's dressed to the nines, but his hair is pinned up in a casual bun. With one hand he's readjusting his brother's collar and his dominant hand held away at arms length, a cigarette dangling from his fingertips.

" _Yavanna_ , Fili, your suits are going to smell like tobacco!" Bilbo mothers as he charges forward trying to seize the offending item. 

Fili is faster than Bilbo and swings his arm above the pilot's height. "Nope, don't you dare! I need this today! My baby brother is getting married. And it's not like I am smoking at him, am I?"

"Why were you fighting with uncle?" Kili pipes up. He looks so handsome today. His usual unruly dark hair is tied back in a simple sleek ponytail. There's a large ugly scar that spans from his left eye to his chin. His eye didn't open properly anyone and he is partially blind in that eye. Nevertheless, Kili is still handsome on his wedding day. 

Bilbo sighs and slumps against the wall. "Same old shit. He and Thranduil can't be in the same room for five second without getting in each other's faces."

"They didn't fuck up the cake did they?" Fili asks worriedly, his eyes darting back and forth. " _Mahal_ , if they—"

"The cake is _fine_ ," he claps Fili's shoulders and squeezes them reassuringly. "You look stunning. You both do."

Both boys share a grin. Fili punches his arm. "We do look like magic, don't we, auntie?"

" _Magic_?" Kili laughs. "You're such a dork. Think you're going home with Sigrid?"

Somehow Fili manages to snort mid-inhale and chokes. "Kee! Fuck! I almost died!"

"Nah, you're fine. Here, help me tie my shoes. These things are a bitch."

"What are you three?" Fili retorts, sitting down with the dress shoes.

"I am not tripping down the aisle at my own wedding. Remember my—"

Bilbo easily slips away and let the brothers have their moment before the ceremony. He has a content smile on his face until he turns the corner and sees what he has been dreading.

Dis is attempting to hold the warring men apart as they hurl insults at one another. The other wedding guests that have arrived are staring in fright or are snapping photos or videos.

A deep growl rumbles from Bilbo chests as he marches on. He pushes past guests and stands in front of the group. "That's enough! Both of you! Today isn't about you! It's about Kili and Tauriel! If you two want to get married, then by all means argue all you want." This hypothetical causes an uproar from both men. Dis does her best to hold her brother back from making physical contact with Thranduil's face.

"I said _enough_!" Bilbo yells. "Look, for this one day just stay out of each other's way. Ignore the other, don't fight. Tomorrow you can go back to wanting to rip each other's guts out. I wouldn't recommend it since Kili and Tauriel will still be in your lives. Your fighting is only hurting _them_. Your fighting is fucking up their wedding day. I mean, look a bunch of people have already filmed it and it's probably going to end up on Youtube later. Just," he scrubs his face. "Just get your heads out of your arses, okay?" A thought strikes the man and he addresses the crowd. "And turn those bloody phones off! If I hear even one ringtone during the ceremony I will lose my shit!"

The guests murmur amongst themselves as everyone begins the shutdown process on their smartphones. 

"What's your name?"

Bilbo gazes up at the impossibly tall Thranduil. His dark eyes are boring into him like Bilbo is something he's never seen before. The smaller man stands tall, head held high. "Bilbo Baggins, at your service."

Thranduil curves his head down towards him, "Bilbo Baggins. You're quite an unusual man. Mr. Oakenshield is lucky is have you." He nods to Dis and Thorin before spinning around towards the front door of the church where Tauriel make her grand entrance.

Thorin steps forward with his mouth already forming an 'I' shape, but Bilbo holds up a finger. "Don't you dare. Not now." 

He retreats down the aisle to his seat when he spots familiar faces. He rushes in the row behind the three of them and hugs his father figure from behind. 

"You made it!"

Dwalin and Ori turn to face Bilbo as well, smiles on their faces. They look handsome in their matching suits. "What no hugs for us either?" Dwalin jokes as he stands to receive his own embrace.

"How was the drive?" he chats.

Ori gives a one shoulder shrug. "Not so bad. Would have got here sooner if Dori hadn't held us up."

Bilbo raises an eyebrow. "Oh my, how did that go?"

"Pretty much as expected," Dwalin grumbles.

"They hate him," Ori clarifies. "Dori is too motherly to think anyone is good for me, drift bond or no and Nori is skeptical for the second he'll leave. But he has a shitty outlook on relationships in general. Did you know he used to date Bofur?"

"No shit? Small world. Have you heard from Bofur?"

Ori shakes his head. "Not a peep. We were hoping to see him here."

"Quite a speech you made there, Bilbo." Dwalin nods appreciatively. "I see what Thorin means now about your _fire_."

"Oh, _Yavanna_." Bilbo buries his face in his hands. "You saw all that, did you?"

"It was quite classy," Ori teases, giving his friend a nudge. "They deserved it mate." 

Gandalf interjects, "We came in right before you broke up their fight. I'm quite proud of you, my boy. I brought my fireworks for the occasion." He winks.

Bilbo can't help but smile. He always loved Gandalf's fireworks.

He gasps unexpectedly as he's jerked upwards. Bilbo is nose to nose with Thorin, who looks beyond enraged. 

"Now," he orders. "We're discussing this _now_."

Bilbo fumes as he lets Thorin drag him into a broom cupboard. Who the fuck is Thorin to manhandle him like this? Why can't he behave like an adult?

"What's your problem?" Thorin demands once they are inside. 

Bilbo scoffs. "My problem? My problem is that you are a total arse!"

Thorin glares daggers at his partner. "My problem, Bilbo, is that every single time I try to apologize you push me away. It just causes us to fight more and I'm sick of it."

The smaller man does a double take. "What?"

"I've been incredibly stressed ever since we left Hong Kong. I've had to do plan for Kili's wedding, attempt to get back into civilian life with the press hounding us at every corner for television interviews and book deals. Fuck, I even had an offer to do a porno! And then ever since we lost the drift bond and moved here all we seem to do is argue and fuck, I miss _you_. It's been really fucking stressful.

Tears threaten to spill over Bilbo's eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I haven't been listening." He takes a shuddering breath. "I think… I think I know why I haven't worked on the book."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know the ending. We're the ending and I don't want to write if I lose you!"

He doesn't dare look up as the tears blur his vision. He's so stupid. He's so stupid. He's—

Thorin gentle lifts his chin with two fingers so their eyes meet. "I'm not going anywhere." His partner's voice is low, it sends shivers down Bilbo's spine. "The bond from the drift might be gone, but I will always be by your side, Bilbo Baggins." 

Their lips slot together in an electric kiss. Bilbo wraps his arms around Thorin's shoulders. Thorin's hand slides under his waist coat and plucks at his nipples. Their erections bump as their grind their hips. 

"Fuck, we have, what fifteen minutes before the show starts?" Bilbo suggests. 

**.vii**

It was a beautiful wedding. Kili may have lost track as the priest was feeding him the vows and has to ask the poor man to repeat them, but other than that everything went off without a hitch. 

Bilbo lay nestled in Thorin's arms in the grass with a blanket underneath them as they stare up at the dark sky waiting for the show to start.

"Do you think it'll start soon?" Thorin asks as he nibbles as Bilbo's sensitive ear. "It's nearly nine o'clock."

"A wizard is never late," Bilbo cites.

Bilbo looks around. Everyone is so happy. It's almost like in Thorin's thoughts from long ago. Dis is peacefully talking to Thranduil at one of the tables, sipping on some wine. Dwalin and Ori are at one of the tables as well, feeding each other some of the delicious wedding cake. Kili and Tauriel nearby cuddling on their blanket. Now that the ceremony is over Kili has let his hair down and Tauriel has put a couple braids in it. Fili is trying to pick up a blonde girl, who he now knows is Sigrid. They both are blushing wildly like schoolchildren. It's adorable. 

At that moment a loud bang erupts and a sparkle of green and pink show in the sky.

Everything is perfect.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on tumblr-[mm8fic](http://mm8fic.tumblr.com/)  
> 


End file.
